I Love You Forever
by fanwriter1245
Summary: Set during and after Catherine breaking the news to everyone that there is no money. A look into what would've happened if Power had come to get the girls just a few minutes later. Full of fluff, especially for Anne and Strang :) CatherinexByrne AnnexStrang


Anne was in love. There was no doubt about it. After all, she had spent the whole night with James Strang last night and had kissed him two nights ago.

Catherine was in love, she just refused to admit it, and they all knew it.

Catherine and Anne had been two girls abducted by men in the Abduction Club, men who wooed women and then married them for their fortune.

Garrett Byrne wanted Catherine, and James Strang wanted Anne.

Now if only everyone would admit their love for each other, they could all get on with their lives. But Catherine, being much too sensible, refused to admit her love because she believed that Byrne only wanted to marry her for her money, and she wasn't happy about that.

Especially since they didn't know the whole truth.

Anne just didn't want to marry that horrid Lord Power. Why her family was trying to marry her off to him, she couldn't understand. It was Strang she wanted now.

Catherine and Anne came down from bed to find the others sitting at a table with their breakfast waiting for them.

The two gentlemen stood up and waited for the girls to take their seats.

"I trust you slept well?" Byrne asked.

"Uh, very well," Catherine answered timidly.

"Did—Did you sleep well?" Anne asked, remembering her manners.

"I did not as it happens. I slept very little."

_So did Catherine,_ Anne thought. She wished her sister would just admit she was in love already. "Oh, I'm sorry to hear that," she said instead.

Byrne stood up and faced Catherine. "Might I speak to you?" he asked quietly.

"Please do."

Anne hated it when she did this. Whenever her feelings started to surface, she forced herself to push them down and act as if nothing was different.

"Privately."

Catherine froze for a second. She had spent most of the night thinking about him, and telling herself she did not love him. If she spoke to him alone, she was afraid of what might happen and what she might say. "Forgive me, Mr. Byrne, but I'm quite hungry, and would prefer to take my breakfast."

Byrne slowly sat back down, dejectedly.

There was a brief awkward silence before he asked, "Are you happy, Ms. Kennedy?"

Catherine looked up. Her mind was telling her no, but her heart was telling her yes. "I think you know the answer to that question, Mr. Byrne. Otherwise, you would not have asked it." She picked up her food. "I hardly think it's time to discuss this matter." Would it ever be a good time?

"There will be no other time, Catherine."

Once more, she froze. He rarely ever called her by her first name. It sounded so sweet the way it rolled from his lips. She forced herself to stop and think reasonably. She couldn't do this.

"Are you happy?"

"No, I'm not happy," she stated. "Will you think I will have changed since the first night's affairs?"

"Yes."

"And you think that because you've spent a few days in my company, you know me. And my feelings."

"No, Ms. Kennedy. All I know is that what I feel cannot be measured in hours."

"Well, perhaps it can be measured in silver."

"Do you truly believe that?"

Of course she did. Didn't she? "Doesn't matter what I believe, Mr. Byrne. There is nothing to do."

"I love you, Catherine."

Her heart stopped at the three little most precious words she had always wanted to hear. But this wasn't right! He just wanted her money. He didn't really love her. He loved what she had. And she didn't love him. She couldn't.

She watched Byrne and Strang exchange glances.

"I've spent years hoping that one day I might say those words and mean them. And now here, finally I do."

Catherine sighed. He didn't mean them. He was just trying to get her money.

"You don't understand," she whispered as tears began to form in her eyes.

"What don't I understand?"

"You can't ask that question, Mr. Byrne."

"I love you, Catherine."

He said it again. No, no this was all wrong. "I must marry a man who means to—"

"I love you," he said cutting her off.

"…means to—" she tried again, but he stopped her once more.

"Do you not love me?"

"I cannot love you!" She felt her heart breaking. This was so much harder than it should've been.

"Why not?" Byrne asked in disbelief.

"I cannot love you because…"

"Why, Catherine?"

She paused. "I cannot love you because I've deceived you. All of you."

"How?" Byrne could not believe this. There was no way Catherine Kennedy could deceive him. She just couldn't.

She took a deep breath, and just spit it out. "There is no inheritance. No money. Nothing."

Anne felt like she just got socked in the stomach. Catherine noticed Byrne's shocked face. She had been right. He only loved her money, and not her. And now he would be off and drop her like a sack right back home.

"The last bit of the house belongs to Mr. Power. As does everything else," Catherine continued tearfully. "Father has gambled it all away. There's nothing left."

"But when?" Anne asked in shock. They were broke? For how long? What was going to happen to all of them? "How…how did this—"

"Anne," Catherine cut her off. "There's worse. Far worse."

How could there be worse?

"When Father had nothing left, he gambled with you…and lost."

It was worse. Anne could feel tears sting her eyes. Her own father had bet on her…and lost her? He was willing to risk her body, her virtue, her life? She found her lungs not working, and couldn't remember how to breathe.

"You're promised to Power."

That's why she was marrying that horrid man? Because of a gamble? As if that whole situation wasn't bad enough.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Strang watching her, but refused to meet his gaze. She couldn't handle it.

"So now you know, Byrne," Catherine said tearfully. "Now you know."

_And now you can leave me and go find some other girl with money, _she thought to herself.

Tears fell down her face as she got up to leave. Surely Byrne wouldn't want her now. And she couldn't look at Anne any longer. It hurt too much.

Anne looked away from Strang in tears. Her whole life had just come crashing down around her.

Catherine was almost out the door when she felt a hand on hers. She turned to find herself looking into Byrne's warm eyes.

"It doesn't matter, Catherine," he said gently.

Was she hearing right?

"I'll do anything to make sure tears never fall on your face again. Will you give me that chance?"

"I…"

"Will you?"

Catherine had never been so happy to be wrong. He actually loved her. Garrett Byrne loved Catherine Kennedy, and not just for her money. He loved her as a person. She felt her breaking heart begin to mend together and she nodded ever so slightly.

"Excuse me," she said rushing out of the room.

Byrne watched her go and allowed her to have a moment to herself. He turned to look at Strang and saw him still sitting at the table, awkwardly watching Anne cry softly, not knowing what to do. Strang and Byrne made eye contact and Byrne moved his head to Anne, signaling he should go to her. Strang barely nodded, and awkwardly stood up and went over to Anne.

"Ms. Kennedy?" he said feebly, offering his hand.

She disregarded him and rushed outside, unwilling to meet his eyes.

Byrne went up to him. "Go after her."

Strang nodded and ran to the door. "Ms. Kennedy!" he called.

He found Anne outside, quite a distance from the inn, sobbing heartily. It broke his heart. He couldn't bear to see her in such pain.

"Ms. Kennedy?"

"Go away," she mustered out.

"Ms. Kennedy…I'm sorry."

"Sorry for what? For my Father being a complete and utter monster? He was just willing to give me away. He couldn't tell from all the lost money that he would lose me? I hate him!"

"Anne…" Her insides tingled at the way he said her name so purely. He gently touched her shoulder. "He shouldn't have taken you for granted."

"And now that you know there is no money, you can go off and find another woman. One with a fortune. That's what you wanted in the first place, wasn't it?"

"I don't care about the money, I care about you."

Anne tried to compose herself, but found that her efforts were futile. Strang lightly pulled her into his embrace. His strong arms wrapped around her sobbing form. She leaned her head onto his shoulder and gripped his jacket so tightly, her knuckles turned white.

Strang rubbed her soft curls. "Shh…" he whispered. "Ms. Kennedy, I don't understand how anyone could do such a thing to you. You're perfect in every way, right down to your very stubborn personality. If your father saw what I see, he would realize how much of a jewel you are and how lucky he is to have you in his life."

"You really mean all of that?"

"Of course I do. From the first moment I saw you, I thought you were a perfect angel. I didn't care if you had money or not then, and I certainly don't care now. All I care about is having you by my side forever."

"What?"

"I love you, Anne. More than anything. I've never known such love in my whole life. I wish you to travel with me to the ends of the earth."

He knelt down on one knee and Anne stared at him.

"Ms. Anne Kennedy…you look upon one who would—"

"What's going on here?!" a familiar, yet sickening voice cried out.

Anne turned to find none other than Lord Power standing there with a few men in red coats behind him.

Strang stood up and pulled Anne close to him, and she did not try to move away from his touch.

"Don't worry, Anne. I've come to rescue you from this…vermin," Lord Power said.

Anne hated him more than she hated her father. "I'm not coming with you."

"Oh, yes you are. You belong to me."

"I don't belong to anyone."

One of Lord Power's men went up to her and pulled her away from Strang.

"No, don't! James!"

"Anne!" he called as he tried to run to her, but was stopped by all of Lord Power's men.

"Come, my bride," Lord Power beckoned. "Let us find your sister, and I shall take you both home where you will be safe from these ruffians."

Strang watched helplessly as Anne was taken away from him. "Anne…"


End file.
